1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disc loading device in which a disc-form recording medium (hereinafter, referred to as disc) and a cartridge containing the disc are slotted in through a common opening.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, in the field of disc devices, DVD recorders/players capable of recording and playback onto and from DVD media have been markedly spreading. Examples of DVDs for recording and playback include a DVD-RAM. The DVD-RAM is divided into a type contained in a cartridge so that the recording surface of the disc is protected and a type not contained in a cartridge (hereinafter, referred to as disc) To enhance usability in order to further spread DVD-RAMs, it is desired to develop a disc loading device that allows a cartridge and a disc not contained in a cartridge to be slotted in through a common opening.
A conventional disc loading device in which the disc and the cartridge can be slotted in through a common opening will be described.
Conventionally, as a disc loading device, one described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. H09-251695 has been known. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a condition where the disc is slotted in in the conventional disc loading device. FIG. 8 is a side view showing a condition in which the cartridge is slotted in.
In FIG. 7, reference numeral 1 represents a disc, reference numeral 2 represents an opening, and reference numeral 3 represents a turn table. Reference numeral 4 represents a roller that conveys the disc while rotating. Reference numeral 5 represents a roller gear attached to the roller 4. Reference numeral 6 represents a base where the turn table 3 and the roller 4 are disposed. Reference numeral 7 represents a centering plate that is movable in the X1 direction, that is, the loading direction and in the X2 direction, that is, the ejection direction and is pushed in the X2 direction by a non-illustrated resilient member. Reference numeral 8 represents a centering groove provided in the centering plate 7 to latch the disc 1 in the centering of the disc 1 in the play position. Reference numeral 9 represents a locking member that restricts the range of movement, in the X1 direction, of the centering plate 7. The locking member is pivotable about a shaft provided at an end in the X2 direction, and is pushed in the locking direction (in the figure, the direction of the arrow A) by a non-illustrated resilient member. Reference numeral 10 represents a latching member provided on the centering plate 7 for latching to the locking member 9. Reference numeral 11 represents a slide plate disposed so as to be movable in the X1 and X2 directions. Reference numeral 12 represents an interlocking lever that is pivotable about a shaft provided on the centering plate and in which a shaft engaged with an L-shaped groove of the slide plate 11 is provided at the other end. Reference numeral 13 represents a support arm that is pivotable about a shaft provided at an end in the X1 direction and pushed in the X2 direction by a non-illustrated resilient member. Reference numeral 14 represents a shutter opening member for opening the shutter of a subsequently-described cartridge 15. The shutter opening member 14 is provided so as to be pivotable about a shaft in a U-shaped groove of the support arm 13. An engagement pin for opening the shutter of the cartridge 15 droops from an end of the shutter opening member 14, and when the cartridge 15 is not loaded, the engagement pin is pushed to an upper position by a non-illustrated resilient member. Reference numeral 16 represents a pressing member for pressing the inserted disc 1 or cartridge 15 against the roller 4. The pressing member 16 is pushed downward by a non-illustrated resilient member. Reference numeral 17 represents a support member that supports the roller 4 so as to be rotatable.
The operation of the conventional disc loading device structured as described above will be described.
First, a case where the disc 1 is slotted in will be described. When the disc 1 is inserted through the opening 2, the insertion of the disc 1 is detected by a non-illustrated detection switch, and rotation is transmitted to the roller gear 5 by the driving by a non-illustrated loading motor to rotate the roller 4, so that the disc 1 is drawn inside. At this time, the disc 1 is drawn in while being pressed against the roller 4 by the pressing member 16. When the disc 1 is drawn in, its rim abuts the centering groove 8, and the centering plate 7 is gradually pushed in as the disc 1 is loaded. When the rim of the disc 1 abuts a non-illustrated abutment piece of the locking member 9, the locking member 9 is pushed out against the pushing force of the resilient member in the locking release direction (in the direction opposite to the arrow in FIG. 7), so that the centering plate 7 is further pushed in without the latching member 10 being latched by the locking member 9. When the position of abutment of the disc 1 on the abutment piece of the locking member 9 exceeds a maximum rim (the rim in the direction of the disc radius perpendicular to the loading direction), the locking member 9 gradually returns in the locking direction by the pushing force of the resilient member, the latching member 10 is latched to the locking member 9, and the pushing in of the centering plate 7 is restricted. Then, the centering of the disc 1 in the play position is performed. At this time, the engagement pin at the end of the shutter opening member 14 is pushed by the non-illustrated resilient member to a position that is away from the upper surface side of the disc 1.
Subsequently, a case where the cartridge 15 is slotted in will be described with reference to FIG. 8. When the cartridge 15 is inserted through the opening 2, the insertion of the cartridge 15 is detected by the non-illustrated detection like in the above-described case, and the roller 4 rotates so that the cartridge 15 is drawn inside. At this time, the cartridge 15 is drawn in while being pressed against the roller 4 by the pressing member 16. When the cartridge 15 is drawn in, an end of the cartridge 15 abuts a cartridge receiving portion 7a, and the centering plate 7 is gradually pushed in as the cartridge 15 is loaded. When a side surface of the cartridge 15 abuts the abutment piece of the locking member 9, the locking member 9 is pushed out in the locking release direction, so that the centering plate 7 is further pushed in without the latching member 10 being latched to the locking member 9. When the centering plate 7 is moved to the farthest part of the base 6 in the X1 direction, the movement of the centering plate 7 is restricted by a stopper member provided in the farthest part, thereby performing the centering of the disc 1 inside the cartridge 15 in the play position.
At this time, the lower end, in the X1 direction, of the shutter opening member 14 runs on the upper surface of the centering plate 7 as the centering plate 7 moves, whereby the shutter releasing member 14 is pivoted to a substantially horizontal direction. When the cartridge 15 is further drawn in from this condition, since the engagement pin of the shutter releasing member 14 is engaged with a non-illustrated engagement groove of the shutter of the cartridge 15, the shutter is gradually opened as the cartridge 15 moves, and the window of the cartridge 15 is completely opened when the cartridge 15 reaches the play position.
However, in the above-described conventional structure in which the disc 1 and the cartridge 15 are conveyed by the same conveying means the roller 4, when the cartridge 15 which is larger in weight and volume than the disc 1 is conveyed by the same conveying means, a slip occurs between the cartridge 15 and the roller 4 in the middle of the conveyance, so that a phenomenon occurs such that the cartridge 15 moves jerkily and is not conveyed smoothly, so that stable conveyance cannot be performed.